This invention generally relates to apparatus and a method for coupling devices to a computer, and more specifically, to attaching external devices to a computer at a plurality of bays that provide data and power connection terminals.
The computer industry is currently miniaturizing the form factor of computer system circuit boards and the housings used for personal computers to minimize the space required for these devices. In doing so, the industry has eliminated or minimized the availability of expansion capabilities for computer systems. Other methods for expanding a computer to add increased functionality using external peripherals are often extremely hard to use and configure, require independent expensive data cables and power supply connectors, have non-standard interfaces with non-standard form factors, and do not address the need for casual inter-system exchangeability.
For example, in the past, if a user wished to connect a scanner to a personal computer, it has generally been necessary to first install a small computer system interface (SCSI) card in an available slot on the data bus provided inside the personal computer, so that the scanner can be coupled to the computer through an external SCSI data connection. The SCSI interface card will likely require an interrupt (IRQ) and memory assignment for use by the operating system of the computer. Even with the capability to install such devices using xe2x80x9cplug and playxe2x80x9d functionality provided in modern graphical user interface operating systems, it may be difficult to achieve a functional installation of the SCSI interface card if there is no available IRQ, or worse, if there is no available slot on the data bus in which to install the card. Each additional device that is added to the computer system exacerbates this problem.
One solution that has been developed and is being provided on currently available personal computers makes use of the expansion capabilities of the universal serial bus (USB) port. Computers currently being sold often include two USB ports that enable the user to more conveniently connect external peripheral devices such as scanners, pointing devices, digital speakers, modems, and other such devices that have been designed to connect to a USB port. While the provision of USB ports on personal computers greatly simplifies the connection of USB-enabled external peripheral devices, there are certain limitations to this solution. Specifically, the USB ports typically provided on personal computers are unable to provide more than a minimal amount of power to energize external peripheral devices. Further, there is a limit to the number of such devices that can be daisy-chained together, which is typically less than that nominally possible under the USB specification.
To address this problem, a user can purchase a USB hub that includes a power supply and provides additional USB ports through which peripheral devices having a USB connector can be interfaced with the personal computer. These hubs connect to the personal computer through one of the two USB ports and may include a power supply to increase the amount of power that can be supplied to energize external peripheral devices that are connected to the hub via the USB ports. However, each external peripheral device is connected to the hub through an appropriate USB connector cable. In addition, some external peripheral devices that communicate with a computer through the USB port may still connect to a transformer or power supply xe2x80x9cbrickxe2x80x9d that is plugged into an alternating current (AC) line plug to be supplied with the required electrical power. When several such external peripheral devices are added to a personal computer or hub, the resulting tangle of USB cables and power leads can be unsightly and is clearly undesirable. Also, moving the personal computer or hub requires moving the cables and the power supply, as well.
It would thus be desirable to provide a hub for USB expansion (or for expansion that involves adding devices communicating using an alternative data format) that can provide power for energizing external peripheral devices connected thereto and eliminate data and power cables for each connected external peripheral device. Such a hub should have bays for directly coupling to the external peripheral devices and should ensure that these devices are correctly mated with the hub.
The computer industry has long sought the use of modular, interchangeable components internal to the system chassis. However, modular components that plug into a data bus socket are clearly limited in form factor, particularly as the size of the motherboard and chassis continues to be reduced in computers currently being marketed. The time is thus ripe for an entirely new concept in computer design in which the form of modular components is not limited by the extent or size of an internal chassis and the fit of components on a motherboard. Instead, it would be preferable to provide a compact computer in which external modular peripheral components can be selectively added without significant limitations to the form factor of the modules. The computer should readily couple to the external peripheral modular components, substantially eliminating independent external cable connections, and should permit attachment of the modules, with the computer disposed in any orientation. The same features would also be desirable in a hub, as discussed above.
In accord with the present invention, apparatus is defined for supporting a plurality of external peripheral devices and coupling the plurality of external peripheral devices to a computing device. The apparatus includes a base and a plurality of bays defined on the base. Each bay interfaces with an external peripheral device and includes a data connection for directly coupling to a data port on an external peripheral device. In addition, each bay has a power connection for supplying electrical power directly to a power port on an external peripheral device. A rail provides for alignment of an external peripheral device in the bay, and is adapted to mechanically attach an external peripheral device to the base.
Each rail preferably has a cross-sectional configuration that is generally either a C-shape or a T-shape. Also, in one alternative configuration, each rail comprises a plurality of non-contiguous sections.
A visual alignment element is included in each bay to aid in properly positioning an external peripheral device with respect to the bay. In addition, in one embodiment, each bay further includes an alignment pin that guides an external peripheral device, thereby ensuring that the data connection and the power connection of the bay properly couple to a data port and a power port, respectively, on an external peripheral device. Although the type of data connection generally depends upon the type of external peripheral device, it is expected that the data connection can include a USB 1.X interface, a USB 2.X interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a SCSI interface, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface, a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface, or an infrared data association (IRDA) interface.
Another feature that may be provided in the power connection is a component that senses the power requirements of any external peripheral device coupled thereto, and automatically provides a required voltage and a required current thereto.
Preferably, in one form of the invention, a computing device is coupled to each data connection. Consequently, any external peripheral device coupled to the data connection is thereby coupled to the computing device. Alternatively, each data connection is adapted to couple to an external computing device. In this case, when the data connection is coupled to the external computing device, an external peripheral device coupled to the data connection is thereby coupled to the external computing device.
The base further includes a latching mechanism for each bay, to secure an external peripheral device within the bay. Furthermore, the latching mechanism for each bay includes a release, enabling an external peripheral device secured within the bay to be selectively released.
The rails in adjacent bays are generally parallel to each other. Further, the rails extend over a surface that is arcuate in shape.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for coupling a plurality of external peripheral devices to a computing device. This method includes steps that generally correspond to the functions performed by the elements of the apparatus described above.